


The Keep

by Jazzy_McSnazzy



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Friendship, Other, group cuddle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 11:58:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7360555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jazzy_McSnazzy/pseuds/Jazzy_McSnazzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Greyskull Keep can be a little hard to keep warm at night sometimes, and after a long week, the party wants to do nothing more than find comfort in front of a warm fire and each other's friendship. Takes place right before the Conclave Dragons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Keep

Keyleth shudders as she pulls a stray shawl closer over her shoulders in an attempt to warm herself up. The light fabric does nothing for her, but she did appreciate Laina’s gift. To be properly warm without catching anything on fire from her fire elemental form, Keyleth knows where to go. Her footsteps are quiet enough to not echo down the empty dark halls. She lets her fingers run against the cold stone walls as she walks, reminiscing about earlier that year just after the Keep was built and their adventures in learning how to keep their new home and discovering all the new rooms of the keep, even though they had seen the blue prints. Despite Keyleth’s apprehension of clergy of the divine powers, she would admit her relief that it was Pike who oversaw the shrine.  
Lost in her thoughts, Keyleth was surprised to find herself standing in front of the closed door to Percy’s workshop. Just as it is designed to do, no light flickers through any cracks, but she can hear muttering and the sound of one of his small hammers making contact with metal. She knocks as hard as she can so it can be heard over the work. Keyleth nearly giggles as she hears the hammer clatter to the table as Percy’s work ceases.  
The door is opened to a soot covered Percy, eyes slightly wide at the interruption this late in the evening. Quickly dusting his dirty hands on his work apron, he opens the door wider to Keyleth.  
“Well this is a surprise, Keyleth. How can I assist you this late in the evening?”  
Keyleth tries to not chuckle at his formality and steps into the room and towards the warm hearth of his fireplace.  
“I’m not interrupting you am I?”  
The tinker shakes his head and stepped next to his friend.  
“You could never interrupt me. I’m just taking another design back to the drawing board before I wrap up for the evening. Are you okay?”  
She nods her head and sends Percy a comforting smile. “Just cold. Would it bother you if I curled up in front of your fire and warm up a little?”  
A smile is found under his soot stained face and Percy waves a hand towards the fireplace.   
“Please, make yourself at home. I’m sorry I don’t have a pillow or blankets or anything down here to make you comfortable-”  
Keyleth doesn’t wait for her friend to stop fretting about the lack of accommodations, and instead closes her eyes to focus on her shape change. Comfortable with the process, the druid drops to her hands in knees as they form into large paws. Without another word, Keyleth, as ‘Minxy’, rubs against Percy’s leg in affection, and the proceeds to make herself comfortable in front of the fire. Shaking his head, Percy leaves the door cracked, just a little bit. If Kiki came downstairs cold, there is no guarantee she would be the only one coming down.   
Pike is the next one to find herself at Percy’s door. The small gnome is wrapped in an oversized blanket, and before she can even explain what her business is, Percy is quick to step to the side and allow her safe passage into the room. Pike mutters her thanks and uses a free hand to rub at her bleary eyes before she gingerly curls next to Keyleth, who remained asleep. When Percy walks away from his door, he leaves it ajar with the hopes that future knocks won’t wake up the ladies.  
Percy squints in the dim candle light, carefully looking over a new scope design for Bad News and takes a moment to lean back and adjust his glasses. Stretching his arms over his head and straightening his back, Percy takes the chance to check on his guests.   
Sometime during the night, Grog and Scanlan had made their way downstairs in search for their missing companions. When found sleeping in front of the warm fire, Scanlan goes on duty to gather more blankets as Grog decides to retrieve logs from the kitchen to keep the fire stocked throughout the night. Percy is rather surprised to find that Grog worked hard to maintain silence through his task. Setting down armfuls of fuel is no easy task, but their fighter manages it without stirring either of the girls from their sleep. Without Scanlan around to complain, Grog takes the chance to stretch out next to Pike. Using one of Keyleth’s massive paws as a pillow, the Goliath is sound asleep by the time Scanlan makes it back downstairs.   
With his back turned to the door, Percy stokes the fire and starts to wonder what time of night it is. To be perfectly honest, the gunslinger could care less about the time, and more worried about keeping his companions warm. He won’t admit it if he was asked, but Percy is relieved that at this moment, it’s his only concern. Sure, there is so much to do in Whitestone, but with the knowledge and comfort that Cassandra is looking after the rebuilding efforts of the broken town. Once repaired, Percy has plans to help improve so many things in the city. Only after he locates and deals with Ripley, will he ever be comfortable sleeping with both eyes shut.   
A soft cough nearly startles Percy, but at this rate, he was expecting the twins and Trinket. Trinket takes up the entirety of the door frame, but Vex leans on his head none the less. Vax nods at Percy and rubs his eyes before entering the room with a large tattered looking quilt slung over his shoulder. He joins the pile of sleeping heroes by wrapping himself up in the blanket and wait patiently for Vex to join his side. Vex pats him on the shoulder and lays next Keyleth’s sleeping form. Vex rolls her eyes and yanks on one corner of Vax’s quilt. Percy can’t help but chuckle at the exchange of the twins bickering between each other before Vax gave up some length of his quilt to share with her. As if warmth was going to be an issue anyways, Trinket plops down next to Vex. Before falling asleep, Vex winks at Percy and softly whispers to him.  
“Trinket will let you snuggle up next to him if you get too cold darling.”  
“Thank you Vex’ahlia, I’ll keep that in mind.”  
Percy dreams of Whitestone that night. He can hear, almost as clear as day the laughs he shared with all of his brothers and sisters and they chase each other in the shade and comfort of the Sun Tree and under the close eye of not only the city guard, but also their parents, Lord and Lady De Rolo. The soft breeze and the sun that peer through the leaves nearly feel real.   
Even though he slept on the ground of his workshop, he wakes feeling refreshed for the first time in what feels like years.


End file.
